The present invention relates to amusement rides and methods for using the same. In particular, the present invention relates to roller coasters and methods of using the same. Specifically, the present invention relates to roller coasters having a controlled spin or controlled rotation.
Since the early days of roller coasters, manufacturers have experimented with variations of a central theme, which is to provide amusement to riders seated inside vehicles or cars traveling along tracks. Traditional roller coaster cars travel along double rail tracks and provide their riders with stationary seats or harnesses fixing the motion of the riders to the direction of travel of the cars (and of the track). The general effect attained by traditional roller coasters statically couples riders to their cars and the riders therefore experience essentially the same motions and gravitational forces experienced by the cars in which they ride. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,463,962, 5,595,121, and 6,060,847, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Some amusement devices, including roller coasters, attempt to deliver additional systems of rotation. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 142,605, 567,861, 728,246, 771,322, 803,465, 815,210, 815,211, 887,082, 901,435, 944,407, 995,945, 2,009,904, 2,535,862, 3,610,160, 3,299,565, 3,777,835, 4,272,093, 4,501,434, 5,433,153, 5,791,254, and 6,098,549, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. There also exist amusement rides that typically depart from the conventional roller coaster in that the passenger vehicle no longer assumes the standard railway car configuration on the track. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,170,943, 5,272,984, and 6,047,645, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Unfortunately, these known roller coasters are limited in their abilities and functions. Many of the roller coasters do not have the ability for a user to rotate in a direction or dimension independent from the track, especially without using additional energy. Further many roller coasters are not able to rotate or spin in a controlled manner, especially based on the track configuration.
The present invention provides amusement rides and methods for using the same. The amusement rides of the present invention include roller coaster vehicles that have a controlled spin or controlled rotation in a direction or dimension independent from the track of the roller coaster. The controlled rotation or spin is provided by using the forward motion of the vehicle, using the track configuration to control or determine the rotation of the vehicle.
The invention is particularly suited for roller coaster rides where the forward motion of the vehicle is provided by gravity. However, the principles of the invention may be satisfactorily applied to flat rides or tower rides. The amusement ride comprises a track system. One portion of the track system is referred herein as having a normal configuration. In tracked rides in general, there is at least one guide rail the guides a vehicle. For reasons that will become evident below, the present invention requires at least two or more rails, i.e., a first and second rail. In general, the rails multi-rail tracks are generally parallel and are equidistant from one another through the rail system. The system for connecting the vehicle to the rails comprises wheels that are fixed in position relative to one another. The present invention functions by deviating from this normal configuration by deviating from this fixed equidistant spacing. This is accomplished by displacing one or more rails relative to one another in portions of the track system referred to herein as displaced portions. In the displaced configuration in these portions the relative position of the rails have been displaced from the normal configuration.
The vehicle system of the present invention is constructed according to known construction techniques consistent with the invention. The vehicle is system is connected to the track system by a connection system. The connection system contains conventional structures, such as wheeled trucks and bogies for maintaining the vehicle on the track as it travels down the track. These wheeled systems are consistent with conventional practice.
However, in addition, the connection system comprises structure that responds in proportion to the deviation or displacement of the track system from the normal configuration. This response is translated into a rotary motion that is independent of the track structure. As described above, amusement rides have been constructed with track configurations, such as looped, helical, and the like, that impart rotating movement of the vehicle around an axis. There are also amusement rides where the vehicle is rotated and powered on different axis by an independent moving structure. However, in the present invention, the vehicle is rotated in response to and powered through the track system configuration. When a rail is displaced, structure in the connection system allows the attachment the rails (the wheels) to follow the displacement. The wheels are in turn connected to structure that translates this track-induced movement to a rotational movement that drives rotation of the vehicle around an axis. Accordingly, the extent of rotation is controlled by the extent of displacement, because the amount of movement is proportional to the amount of displacement of the rail. In addition, no separate power is required to make the vehicle rotate, for the forward movement of the vehicle across along the track powers the displacement of the wheels as they move along the displace rail.
Although described mostly in reference to roller-coaster rides in the description below, the present invention can be applied to any ride involving vehicles traveling along a track. The rotation of the vehicle is derived from the forward motion of the vehicle and does not derive from or require separately powered motors or the like. Thus, there is no requirement of the separate power supply system, such as electrical bus bars or rails that parallel the track. As the vehicle is carried along the track, by gravity, or any propulsion means, the variation in distance between first and second rails transfers the power to the vehicle to bring about the rotation. The invention includes rides where a tracked vehicle is brought to an apex by, for example, a chain, elevator, or a launch system, and allowed to fall or travel by gravity. Such include roller coasters, and vertical tracked systems. The invention also contemplates systems that are propelled by any suitable propulsion systems other than gravity. These include systems propelled by, for example electric, hydraulic, pneumatic, internal combustion, steam, and combination of any of these. It should be noted here that the rotation of the vehicle is not directly powered by any of these propulsion systems, but incidentally derives it power from the operable connection of the variably spaced track system with the connection system to the vehicle as the vehicle travels forward by action of the propulsion system or gravity.